Delta aircraft as seen at Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson International Airport on April 30, 2007. / Barry Williams, Getty Images

by Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY

by Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY

Delta Air Lines has apologized after the carrier found itself at the center of an awkward mix-up in which it mistakenly swapped body-bearing caskets to two different funeral homes.

WLTX TV of Columbia, S.C., says the mix-up apparently came as the caskets were being sent via the same Delta flight out of New York LaGuardia. That's where WLTX reports that Delta shipping clerks "apparently put the wrong shipping labels on the caskets."

As a result, a casket bound for Virginia ended up arriving in South Carolina and vice versa. The mix-up forced one funeral to be delayed by a day. The other funeral went on as scheduled, though the family had some nervous moments as the body arrived only about two hours prior to the event.

"Delta deeply regrets this unfortunate situation. We are investigating the matter and will work closely with the family during this difficult time," Delta spokesman Russell Carson said to WABC of New York when asked about the Virginia family.

"You hear about this stuff happening on TV, but not to our family, you know?" Latasha Crumpton tells WLTX. Her uncle â?? Purdy Walker â?? was in the casket sent to Virginia instead of South Carolina.

The family and friends of Stanley Williams â?? the other casket to be shipped to the wrong place â?? tell WABC the mistake made it harder for them to grieve.

"It's hard enough that you have to bury one of your loved ones and then to find out that the airline screwed up and prolonged the process, it's crazy, it's unbelievable," Williams' friend Josette Cerutti says to WABC.

The 50-year-old Williams died unexpectedly while trying to cross New York City's Harlem River Drive, according to WABC.

The other family involved appeared to take things in stride, with Crumpton telling WLTX that her uncle (Purdy Walker) was a jokester.

"I'm sure he's laughing about it," Crumpton says, before adding: "I know he is. He went with the flow."